Some Things Don’t Change: Vintage Food Ads

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I bumped into a vintage ad for margarine this morning, which led me on a hunt to find more. I was struck by how the processed food industry’s main marketing message seems to be that their foods are natural, have wonderful flavor, and are healthy. *cough cough* Some things don’t change, do they? For more on this topic, read Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry.

I picked five of my “favorites” to share with you. Visit Vintage Ads for more (including non-food ads) or do a google image search. I’m warning you, you’re likely to waste an hour or so.

Margarine 1948 (source) — When margarine first came on the market, it was against the law to color it yellow (so as not to compete with the dairy industry) unless the manufacturer paid a fine or people colored it themselves. This ad claims discrimination against margarine! Are you kidding me?

What thoughts come to mind when you see these ads? Do you think the food industry has changed its basic advertising approach or not?

This post may contain affiliate links. We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. Thank you for supporting Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS with your purchases. Our family thanks you!

Truly a sign of those times. My aunt tells of those “kneading the oleo packets”, sugar rations, tire rations, coffee rations… The real thing was needed for our men fighting over-seas. When my mother in law was young the feds showed up on their farm while 8 kids ran around & her father was fighting in France. They shot the family milk cow citing “public health”. This was not an isolated incident and it caused the family to nearly starve. Her mother fed a family of 10 each night with one chicken. Amazing! We need to keep our eyes open and stubbornly cling to our God-given rights to our own, pure food. Thank you for continuing that fight.

This is pretty shocking Kirsten! My parents were teenagers during the war and shared a few wartime food experiences with me. My Mom vividly remembers the margarine coloring packs. I’ll have to look and see if I can find any others that lost the family cow. I’ve always had an interest in history, and well when there is food involved too I get pretty excited about it.

I love old things and these are a hoot! However, it does show how the marketing turned a lot of our grandparents/parents towards “uncomplicated food” to chemicals and well, the health issues we have to deal with today. They mystery meat was my favorite! Wow! Thanks for posting these. I do remember buying Kool Aid for five cents a pack and drinking gallons of it….well, explains a lot!

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